In the United States, the current standard for the “conductive charge coupler” used to connect an electrical power source to the electrical system of an electric is vehicle, to charge the vehicle battery, is the SAE J1772 standard. This standard applies to both the electrical inlet in the vehicle and the connector used to couple an electrical charging system to the vehicle inlet. The purpose of the coupler is to transfer energy to charge the battery and operate other vehicle electrical systems, to establish a reliable equipment grounding path, and to exchange control information between the vehicle and the supply equipment. The vehicle is typically equipped with an on-board charger capable of accepting energy from a single-phase AC supply network, converting the AC to DC, and regulating the supply voltage to a level that permits a managed charge rate based on the battery charge acceptance characteristics.
The J1772 connector and vehicle inlet include mating sets of electromechanical contacts that provide a physical connection at the vehicle interface for the power conductors, an equipment grounding conductor, a control pilot conductor, and a proximity sense conductor to provide a signal that helps reduce electrical arcing of the coupler during disconnect. Thus, the interface typically has five contacts that perform the interface functions. In addition, the coupler includes a latching mechanism to prevent inadvertent or accidental decoupling. The latching mechanism may also serve to properly align the connector with the vehicle inlet by requiring a latch element projecting from the connector to be registered with a cooperating latch element in the vehicle inlet.
An EVCS typically includes a docking station for stowing the electrical connector on the power cord when the connector is not being used. The mechanical receptacle for the connector on the end of the power cord is usually similar to the electrical receptacle in an electric vehicle, but without the electrical terminals. Because of the heavy gage of the power cord, it can be difficult for a user to properly align the connector with the stowing receptacle while attempting to dock the connector on the power cord. Thus, there is a need for an improved EVCS docking station that io facilitates the docking of the electrical connector when it is not in use.